"There's a buzz when you land in a new European city, especially one further east where prices are cheaper. As a group of us walked out of Bratislava airport at Easter, we faced that timeless choice: do we hail or open the apps? Fixed price or metre? Needing a taxi for six, one big enough for us was just sitting there."
"Lured by a €40 price that seemed reasonable when divided, we accepted and went. Little did we appreciate that the journey time is just 15 minutes to the city centre. We learnt our lesson on the way home and paid no more than €20. Finally opening the apps gave us that clarity."
Landing in a cheaper Eastern European city creates a choice between hailing street taxis and using ride-hailing apps with fixed or metered fares. At Bratislava airport a six-person group took an available taxi after being quoted €40, believing the divided cost reasonable, despite a 15-minute trip to the city centre. On the return trip fare-comparison apps revealed options that limited the fare to €20. The experience shows that local market structure, information availability, and fare-setting practices vary across cities. Fear of uniform 'Uberification' overlooks these local differences and the role of price transparency in reducing overpayment.
Read at Independent
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